


Sleep

by d00dle2013



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Jemma can’t sleep, Skimmons if you read between the lines, net2nyexchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 12:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13295208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d00dle2013/pseuds/d00dle2013
Summary: Jemma is tired, but sleep won’t come. Daisy helps.Jemma deals with her PTSD from Maveth and the guilt of releasing Andrew at the Hydra base.





	Sleep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theclaravoyant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theclaravoyant/gifts).



> Sorry it’s a little late! But this is my gift to the lovely theclaravoyant. 
> 
> She prompted me “Person A can't sleep or has a nightmare, Person B helps (eg. stays up with them, comforts them, helps them sleep etc)”
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

*  
“WILL!”

Jemma Simmons sits bolt upright in bed, her heartbeat pounding in her ears as she breaks herself out of the nightmare.

Her chest heaves as she tries to draw in breath, causing her bruised ribs to scream in pain.

Jemma’s mind races and moments pass as she calms herself. She tries to shake the images out of her mind from the remnants of the nightmare.

After her breathing calms, and her heart rate returns to normal, Jemma burrows herself back into her blankets and listens to the sounds of the surrounding base.

The creaking of the old pipes of the boiler system, and the soft murmur of the night watch should be soothing her to sleep. The sounds are those that her mind associates with being at the Playground, with being at home, but after everything she’s been through the past few months, the sounds unsettle her. The once soothing sounds of the old base now remind her of the creaking of the hideout on Maveth, and the cold draft reminds her of the chill of the Hydra base. Even the soft rumble of the boiler reminds her of the rumbling of the open portal in her chest. She’s tired, exhausted even, but the comforting blanket of sleep continues to elude her.

She hates it, feeling weak like this. She hasn’t slept properly since she was released from the med bay a few days before, when the doctor had been prescribing sleeping medication to help her rest.

Thing have been good, great even, since the team returned from the second venture onto Maveth. Will was gone, yes, but so was Ward. The pieces of monolith were destroyed along with the Hydra Base with the promise to never be seen again. Jenna’s ribs are healing nicely, but the scars left on her mind from the experiences affect her strongly.

Jemma sighs and tosses her blankets to the side, slipping out of the warmth of the bed.

“Okay, Jemma. Let’s take a walk. Clear your mind,” she mutters to herself. It helps ground her, it helps her loosen the belt of anxiety that has tightened around her chest.

Jemma stands from her bed and grabs a cardigan from her desk chair, pulling it over her head to chase off the chill of the base. Her hair is already pulled back into a ponytail, and she smooths the stray hairs mused from sleep before she slips quietly out the door.

A few minutes later, Jemma finds herself in the kitchen, a mug of milk in the microwave. She sits herself on one of the barstools and lays her head on the cold counter. The beep of the microwave jerks her out of the light doze she somehow slipped into.

Jemma pulls the mug from the microwave and stirs it on her way to the couch in the adjoining common room, the haze of fatigue starting to wash over her.

Jemma settles herself on the soft leather sofa, listening to the creaking sounds of the old base. She leans heavily against the arm of the couch and leans her head back on the head rest.

She dozes off before she has a chance to drink her milk.

*

“Jemma?”

Jemma jerks awake when she hears her name. She blinks a few times in confusion, trying to clear her thoughts, and Daisy comes into focus, leaning down in front of her.

“Oh, hello, Daisy.”

Her friend does not look amused, dressed in her PT gear, complete with a white mug full of coffee in her hand.

“Jemma, did you go to bed last night?”

Jemma scoffs, “Yes, of course I went to bed last night!”

She looks down at the mug of formerly warm milk.  
Daisy raises a single eyebrow, urging Jemma to continue.

Jemma sighs, “but I woke up around 2 and couldn’t get back to sleep”.

She doesn’t mention the nightmare that shocked her back awake. She doesn’t mention the pain that’s plaguing her waking and sleeping hours, the pain of her cracked ribs, and the pain of the choices that she’s made. She doesn’t need to, Daisy just knows.

Daisy sighs deeply and drops next to Jemma on the couch, “Have you been to medical about it? Talked to anyone? Fitz?”

Jemma shakes her head, leaning against the arm of the couch with her elbow, and drops her forehead down into her palm. “No, I haven’t really. I don’t want to bother him,” she says sadly.

Daisy nods in understanding and lays her arm Jemma’s shoulders. “Well you can come stay with me tonight if you like. Sometimes having a bed buddy helps the nightmares,” She says softly.

Jemma shrugs, shaking her head, “I don’t want to be a bother to you either.”

“You wouldn’t be. My door is always open, Jem. You know that.”

“I know, Daisy. Thanks,” Jemma smiles at her friend, laying her head on Daisy’s shoulder.

They sit in silence for a moment, Jemma feeling her eyes becoming heavy again.

Daisy sighs deeply when she feels Jemma relax against her. “Sorry, Jem, I cant stay and snuggle right now. I gotta head to training before May comes to find me,” she says, hugging Jemma close.

Jemma nods, “That’s alright, I’m due in the lab in about 30 minutes anyway. I’ll see you later, Daisy.”

Daisy eases herself off the couch and walks out the door, still nursing her cup of coffee.

Jemma groans and flops herself down on the couch.

*

That night, it’s the same. Jemma can fall asleep, especially after a long day in the lab, but she doesn’t stay asleep long. This time, she dreams of the lab being bathed in the navy blue light of the night on Maveth. She dreams of the emptied pods.

Jemma jerks awake, drenched in sweat. She grips the sheets in her left fist and wraps the other arm around her sore ribs, trying to catch her breath. She groans and hazards a glance at the clock. The red numbers blink against the darkness of the room, telling her it’s 3:27 in the morning.

Jemma groans and swings her legs over the side of the bed, sitting up and dropping her head into her hands. Despite the chill of the room around her, Jemma is drenched in sweat. Her sleep shirt sticks uncomfortably to her back and her hair is plastered to her forehead.

“Okay, Jemma,” she mutters to herself, “It was just a dream. Go take a shower. Get some water. And go back to bed.”

*

Much like the night before, Jemma finds herself walking into the darkened kitchen, hair still wet from her shower.

This time, however, the kitchen isn’t empty.

“Can’t sleep again?”

Jemma jumps and throws her hands up in front of her face when Daisy calls out to her.

“Daisy!”

Daisy grins from her spot at the counter. She raises her mug in front of her.

“What are you doing awake? It’s 4 in the morning!” Jemma continues.

Daisy shrugs, “I was doing some coding for the new security protocols, lost track of time. Needed some hot chocolate before I went to sleep.”

Jemma shakes her head as she moves across the room, pulling a glass out of the cupboard.

“What about you, Jem? What are you doing up?”

Jemma shrugs and turns on the water tap. She lets the water fill her cup before answering. “Dreams woke we up again, couldn’t fall back asleep,” she mutters. She turns around from the sink to face Daisy at the counter, lifting her glass to her mouth.

A small smirk comes across Daisy’s face. “Well, do you want me to tire you out?” Daisy asks, suggestively cocking a single eyebrow.

Jemma covers the counter in front of her with a mist of water. “I beg your pardon?” Jemma asks, eyes wide. A blush creeping up her cheeks. Daisy laughs and sets her mug of hot chocolate down. She turns and grabs a towel and tosses it to it to the pink-cheeked Jemma.

Jemma catches the white cloth from the air and begins to wipe up the liquid on the counter.

“I’m kidding, Jem. But seriously, Come stay with me tonight. I don’t have any training in the morning. I have a big bed, so we can sleep on opposite sides if that makes you more comfortable.” Daisy puts her hand on top of Jemma’s, “really, it’s just payback for all those nights you sat with me on the Bus.” Daisy smiles warmly and pats Jemma’s hand.

Jemma sighs deeply and nods once, giving in. She hangs the towel over the handle of the oven. She’s so tired.

“I know, Jemma. Let’s go to bed?” Daisy asks softly. Jemma nods her head, she wasn’t aware that she was speaking out loud. Daisy takes the glass out of Jemma’s hand and puts it into the sink along with her mug. She moves towards the door, motioning Jemma to follow.

Jemma follows Daisy through the darkened halls of the base,

“Sorry, it’s kind of a mess, but I cleaned off the bed!” Daisy mutters when they enter the room. She picks her laptop off the bed and sets it on her desk.

Jemma shrugs, glancing around the room. “It’s not too bad, Daisy,” she murmurs. And considering the state she’s seen Daisy’s room in, it’s not. There are some clothes on the floor, and some overdue paperwork on the desk. Her bed isn’t made, but it so rarely is.

“You can take the far side, I usually sleep on this one.”

Jemma nods and moves to the other side of the bed. She slides in and pulls one of the blankets up around her shoulders. Daisy turns out the lights and stumbles around the room until she slips into bed.

“Night, Jem.”

“G’night, Daisy.”

Jemma lays in bed for a few moments, watching the red blinking of the alarm clock against the ceiling. She adjusts herself against the soft bedding once, and then rolls on her side, facing away from Daisy.

Daisy groans softly and turns toward Jemma on the bed.

“I’m sorry, Daisy, I’ll just head back to my room-“

Daisy hums softly and tosses her arm over Jemma’s waist. “It’s time for sleeps, Jem,” she breathes softly. Jemma barely resists as Daisy pulls her tight against her front, trapping Jemma’s wrists up against her chest.

“Just close your eyes and listen to my breathing, you’re safe here. It’s okay to sleep.” Daisy murmurs, sliding her other arm up under Jemma’s pillow.

Jemma remains tense for a few moments, but eventually, she relaxes into Daisy’s protective embrace as her eyes get heavier. Daisy hums and pulls Jemma closer to her. Jemma feels Daisy’s breathing even out, hot against her neck. It doesn’t take long for Jemma to drift into sleep.

She doesn’t have any more nightmares that night.


End file.
